this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023
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Google says it can’t fix Pixel Watches, please just buy a new one | With no official repair program and no parts, broken Pixel Watches are just e-waste.::With no official repair program and no parts, broken Pixel Watches are just e-waste.

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[–] [email protected] -5 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

I was considering this on and off, but never really attempted to do this.

Biggest dealbreaker was lack of USB-C cable, but here are few other issues:

  1. No easy & free way to sideload apps.
  2. No ability to install 3rd party OS.
  3. No proper files management.
  4. Clipboard and files sharing is still a joke. It works, but is uncomfortable as fuck.
  5. Lack of cusotmization almost for every aspect of a phone.
  6. Inability to self-repair. Apple made it harder on purpose.
  7. Overpriced smartphones & gadgets.
  8. Can't simply upload & download files from my PC (both Windows & Linux).
  9. Shitty media format support.
  10. Apple wallet does not support discount cards.
  11. Buying an Apple device means I would literally support anti-consumer company with shitty behavior towards its users.
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mostly done by ad-blocking DNS server at home (or via VPN when I am away), but yeah - no ability on Apple. Also impossible to root.

I don't do root anymore, but I would love to have this available as an option. Opens much more possibilities.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This just, isn’t true? You can just download the Ad Block Plus Safari extension, just like you can on a desktop/laptop machine. You could even add a user script manager to block ads yourself if you’re so inclined. This has been in iOS for years, at least 4.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That only blocks Safari, no? Whah about the rest of the apps?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You can also use the system-wide ad blockers that function via iOS’s built in VPN functionality. That’s how Android does it too.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I always found the VPN solution felt really heavy. I remember on Android you could at least also have hostfile and DNS blocking too... But maybe that was only because I was on a rooted device?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

You’ve been able to use DNS-based solutions on iOS basically forever. I don’t really like them because they can be more technical than the average user is likely to jive with (they tend to cause a lot of issues browsing the web normally in my experience), but it’s pretty much always been around.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Apple doesn't allow "questionable" apps like emulators, bit torrent clients on its store and of course you can't sideload them either.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Yes, that's what I am saying. Apple decides for you. You are not the one who decides how to use your phone.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I have an iPhone, but I will say for me the biggest deal breaker with it is absolutely not the lack of USB-C support (though that sucks and THANK GOD they're switching)... The lack of sideloading for apps is a much bigger problem IMO, because it's really hard for free and open source apps to even exist on iOS (which makes paid apps, subscriptions, and advertising much more common). Honestly, I'd care a lot less about the lack of sideloading if it wasn't for the other inconvenient facts, like the a $100/year developer license to publish anything on the App Store, or the fact that you pretty much need to have a Mac to develop for the iPhone... The $100/year developer license is just a death sentence for any open source apps and hobby / passion project apps. It's not thaaaat much money, but it's a lot to pay on top of putting in a bunch of free work to build an app in the first place.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Inability to self-repair. Apple made it harder on purpose.

Can you repair android phone nowadays? Afaik, they are just as hard as apple

Clipboard and files sharing is still a joke. It works, but is uncomfortable as fuck.

Never had a problem

No easy & free way to sideload apps.

this should come before March 2024

Overpriced smartphones & gadgets.

True for the gadgets, smartphones are just in line with other android phones but at least the phone is supported for 5-6 years and it doesn't go to shit after a few years of use

Shitty media format support.

Preach.

Buying an Apple device means I would literally support anti-consumer company with shitty behavior towards its users

Then buy no phone and remove google, etc. For a computer, buy a System76 et similia -but do not use Nvidia/AMD/intel GPU/CPU; no Samsung for SSD, no Intel network card etc.

Apple wallet does not support discount cards.

But you can?Maybe it's new, idk

Can't simply upload & download files from my PC (both Windows & Linux).

True. I use iCloud webApp on Linux or transfer the files on Mega

No proper files management.

It works for the most basic use cases

No ability to install 3rd party OS.

True, but on the other hand iOS is the reason you would buy an iPhone. I'm a power user on desktop but I can't be bothered on mobile: back when I had an android, I used the stock apps too and never did anything """weird""". I'm a desktop user throughout, so if I have to do anything I will just use my PC instead of relying on my phone

-- That said, if you don't mind paying:

  • try protonMail, there is the auto import and forward for gmail;
  • MEGA has a sync feature for the photos. I use it but on iOS it's not that great, for example the photos never get deleted but just uploaded;
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So you basically confirmed my points 😅

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Never said you were wrong lol

If you value freedom over comfort, then obviously an iPhone doesn't cut it

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

freedom over comfort

With freedom comes the confort. It's me who should decide what I need, not Apple. Apple should adjust to my needs, not me to Apple.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

With freedom comes comfort

lol, tell me that when you use a banking app outside the Google play services

Freedom [to install your own OS on a mobile device] for sure won’t bring me any comfort, and in fact it’s something I don’t care about.

Beside, it’s a naive take: Apple doesn’t force you to buy its phones so you can just go wherever. And I doubt most people who buy an android do so for the freedom to install their own OS